VOL. 48, NO. 3 • MAY 2017 KEYNOTES THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE EVANSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA LAWRENCE ECKERLING, MUSIC DIRECTOR Cinema Blockbusters
SUNDAY, MAY 7 — 2:30 PM he third concert of the ESO’s 71st season of “Block - Tbusters” features music intimately associated with CINEMA the movies: Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto is an BLOCKBUSTERS essential plot element of Shine (1996); Prokofiev’s Lt. Kijé Suite (1934) is both original film music as well as a musical source for several later films, and John Williams’ Star Wars mostly lasting one minute or less, so Prokofiev constructed (1977) is probably the most widely known film score of a 20 minute five movement suite by combining and expand - all time. ing the segments of the film score. The tunefulness and popularity of the suite has resulted in its inclusion in the Our concert opens with some would say is the ultimate scores of many later films, notably that of Woody Allen’s Romantic virtuoso work for piano and orchestra, the Love and Death . Piano Concerto No. 3 in D Minor by Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943). Rachmaninoff was among the greatest piano John Williams (b. 1932) is undoubtedly the most successful virtuosos of history, with hands which could span 12 white composer of film music in our time, and his score for keys on the piano. He was planning his first tour of the U.S. Star Wars was selected by the American Film Institute in 2005 as the greatest American film score of all time. while living in Dresden in 1909 and needed a new concerto Williams has also composed many concert and chamber to follow on the success of his Second Piano Concerto. The works, and has arranged his Star Wars music into a 25 Third Concerto provided Rachmaninoff with great acclaim; minute symphonic suite in five movements. The movements one of the earliest performances was with the New York are: Main title, Princess Leia’s theme, the Imperial March Philharmonic conducted by Gustav Mahler. The 45 minute (Darth Vader theme), Yoda’s theme, and the Throne Room length and extreme difficulty of this concerto caused a and end title, which will provide a rousing finale to our nervous breakdown in aspiring pianist David Helfgott, Cinema Blockbusters. depicted in the movie Shine . —David Ellis Sergei Prokofiev (1891–1953) left his native Russia at the time of the revolution and established a career in both the U.S. (including Chicago) and in France. However, he became MUSICAL INSIGHTS the only major artist to return to the Soviet Union, partly due to a commission to for the score to an early Soviet film FRIDAY, MAY 5, 2017 titled Lt. Kijé . The film is set around 1800 and satirizes MUSICAL 1:30 PM INSIGHTS the sitting Tsar (Paul) at that time, a subject dear to the MEET JEFFREY BIEGEL Communist Party. Lt. Kijé is a fictional character created by FREE OPEN TO the mis-stroke of a clerk’s pen, but as no one can admit a THE PUBLIC 1611 CHICAGO AVE., EVANSTON mistake to the Tsar, an entire life is assembled including exile to Siberia, reinstatement, marriage, and eventually SPONSORED BY death and burial. The film music consists of fragments
THE EVANSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA IS AN ILLINOIS NOT-FOR-PROFIT COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA PROVIDING DIVERSE, ENJOYABLE AND ACCESSIBLE MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT THAT ENRICHES THE ORCHESTRA, THE AUDIENCE AND THE COMMUNITY. For more information on ESO concerts and events, please contact David Ellis, General Manager, at (847) 864-8804. Write us at Evanston Symphony Orchestra, PO Box 778, Evanston, IL 60204. Email us at [email protected]. Visit our website evanstonsymphony.org. BEHIND THE SCENES Let me go on the record The next question some might ask is: “Why is Star Wars on right here. I absolutely love a concert alongside Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev? Doesn’t John Williams’ music. And I Star Wars belong on a Pops concert?” There was a time, not ADORE the music from Star long ago, where there was no such thing as a Pops concert. Wars . I think it’s a fantastic There were just orchestra concerts. Concerts that featured piece of music, regardless Brahms symphonies also included Rossini overtures and whether it was written for a Strauss waltzes. Other pieces (to name a few) that are film or for a concert stage. rarely heard in modern traditional symphony concerts any - The Evanston Symphony more and seem to be relegated to modern Pops concerts and I have just finished (at are: Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue , Grieg’s Peer Gynt Suite, the time of this writing) two weeks of rehearsals for the Zampa Overture of Herold, Suppe overtures, Bizet’s Mahler’s Second Symphony, in preparation for our June 11th L ’Arlésienne Suites, Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, Grofe’s performance. I can think of no piece of music which is more Grand Canyon Suite, etc. The list goes on. uplifting, more emotionally and spiritually transcending, and Before 1960 these works, often called “light classics,” more deep and profound. And at our next rehearsal we will appeared on programs almost once every concert. And look - be starting work on Star Wars , Prokofiev and Rachmaninoff. ing right now at a random professional orchestra’s season You may ask yourselves: “How can this conductor just finish for 2017/18, I counted one such work included only once intense rehearsals for Mahler’s Second Symphony, and then every six concerts. go right into Star Wars and call that music great? That he At the Evanston Symphony, we try and offer as diverse range LOVES this music? Really? Music by John Williams, who has of music as we can to you, our audience. We offer many arguably stolen/ borrowed/ quoted from composers such as such programs containing both serious and fun music. Holst, Elgar, Walton, and many more?” My answer is, yes. What is the common denominator? That the music is good, Really. The music from Star Wars is exciting, beautiful, and enjoyable! even riveting. And above all, it’s FUN. Who says every piece See you on May 7th! of music on every concert has to be profound, deep, and —Lawrence Eckerling ultra serious? What’s wrong with plain old fun? In my view, Music Director, Evanston Symphony Orchestra that’s one thing we don’t have enough of in symphony orchestra concerts.
ESO wins Community Orchestra of the Year 2017! The Illinois Council of Orchestras has just announced that • We provide free pre-concert lecture/recitals at The Evanston Symphony Orchestra won Community Orchestra of Merion on Friday afternoons before every subscription the Year 2017, in recognition of our exemplary achievements. concert. All are welcome to hear our Music Director, We are very proud of this award. What does it mean to be a Lawrence Eckerling, and General Manager, David Ellis, true community orchestra? The mission of the Evanston talk about the upcoming concert. Larry demonstrates on Symphony Orchestra is ‘to provide quality, affordable and the piano; David shares some of his deep knowledge of accessible classical music entertainment that enriches the the music’s history, and often our featured soloist will play orchestra, the audience, and the community.’ and talk with the group. • We provide an outlet for the talents of players in • We welcome children. Children 12 and under can the area. Our accomplished musicians come from many attend our subscription concerts for free. We provide backgrounds; some play or teach professionally in schools special program notes for them, called KidNotes to or in bands, but almost all volunteer their time to the ESO; enhance their enjoyment. Our Holiday concert is especially they come together to rehearse and perform ESO concerts family-friendly and Santa can be relied on to attend for the sheer joy of playing symphonic music. • We provide free music education for 3–5 year-olds • We collaborate with local performing arts organ - in Evanston District 65’s Head Start, Pre-K and Special Ed izations. We perform regularly with North Shore Choral classes. We have been working with District 65 for ten Society, Evanston Dance Ensemble, Evanston Children’s years now on this special program, called Music In Your Choir, and the Evanston Symphony Holiday Gospel Choir. World . Soon, we hope to expand our classes to include We share the stage at our annual Holiday concert, which children and their families from birth to 36 months has become a tradition in Evanston and a festive way to through D65’s Early Head Start program, too. celebrate the season. We are founder members of Enrich If you have thoughts on other ways we might serve the Evanston ; a group of arts organizations working to community and share the gift of music more widely, please improve inclusion and racial equity in and through the arts, do let us know at [email protected]. here in Evanston. The Unorthodox Musical Path of Jeffrey Biegel Most children begin to say simple arms and fingers to create sound and helps them better hear words at age one, more complex what sounds are created in the inner mind. words and sentences by age two, Jeffrey’s unorthodox path has also led him to collaborations and are veritable chatterboxes at with some unorthodox classical musicians, including Neil age three. Not so Jeffrey Biegel, Sedaka and Peter Tork. Sedaka is best known for his teenage who, by age three, had not spoken hits like “Stupid Cupid” and “Breaking Up Is Hard To Do” in a single word. Obviously concerned, the rock-and-roll years, but few know that he is also a Juil - his parents took Jeffrey to a doctor, liard-trained classical pianist who was to represent the United who tried communicating with him, States at the 1966 Tchaikovsky competition in Moscow. but to no avail. Finally, the doctor said his name very loudly When this was revealed as his “secret” on the “I’ve Got a several times. No reaction. Then the doctor turned to his Secret” quiz show, he was challenged by a panelist who said parents and said, “Your son is deaf.” that that couldn’t be true because the Soviets had outlawed Jeffrey was indeed 85% deaf. He could not communicate and rock-and-roll music as decadent. Sedaka promptly sat down his only sense of music was vibrations that he could feel at a piano and impressed the panelists by playing Chopin’s through the floor. Fortunately for Jeffrey and the music world Fantaisie-Impromptu ,” the same piece that young Jeffrey – his deafness could be reversed. After corrective surgery, Jef - Biegel would play some years later at his first public per - frey had a lot of catching up to do and wasted no time doing formance. Despite his classical proficiency, however, Sedaka so. He was soon talking normally, but doesn’t remember the never got to compete in the Tchaikovsky competition; the first time he actually heard music. However, when asked what Soviets did indeed disqualify him because of his “other” life it was about music that grabbed him, he said, “Music grabs as a pop star. Sedaka’s current biography says that he has you ! It attracts you to it . It’s a language that you understand.” returned to his classical roots. In October 2010, he recorded When he began piano lessons at seven, it was clear he had his first piano concerto, “Manhattan Intermezzo;” the piece both the necessary talent and the determination to do well. contains “bells and whistles so it’s more like Rachmaninoff,” Soon he was playing Clementi’s Sonatinas and, at ten, gave additions Jeffrey made to the piano part with Sedaka’s his first public performance at ten at the Usdan Center for encouragement and approval. the Creative and Performing Arts on Long Island, where he Peter Tork is forever connected with The Monkees, the played Chopin’s Fantaisie-Impromptu . fictitious band in a 1960s TV series. Tork states on his At 16, Jeffrey began studying with Adele Marcus, the webpage that he met “a professional classical piano player renowned pianist and faculty member at Juilliard, who had by the name of Jeffrey Biegel.” They had an interesting also taught Neil Sedaka (about whom more later). When he conversation about classical music and kept in touch. Then graduated from high school, Jeffrey continued his studies Jeffrey wrote to Tork and asked him to compose something with Marcus at Julliard. He describes Marcus as “tough.” At for piano and orchestra for a performance with Orchestra one point, she said to him, “I know it’s in you, but I don’t Kentucky. “At first I declined,” Tork wrote, “thinking I could know how to get it out of you.” He then realized that he was never do anything serious like that, at least not without using more of his other senses to compensate for his early writing obvious stuff. But some ideas began to roll around in hearing disability and was thus more inhibited than some - my head, and I sat down to play them. Lo and behold, one who had always had use of all the senses. It was a break- strange stuff that I liked emerged… and it was a tremendous through moment, and he credits Marcus with “opening his thrill to hear what I’d written performed by about 65 ears” to express himself through the piano. He still follows a musicians…all at once!” technique that Marcus taught him, that of singing the music Jeffrey says that, because of his early disability, his whole life as he plays it. However, it wasn’t until years later that, when has been based on thinking outside the box. He told us that talking to a writer who asked him about the effects of his “classical composers were pop writers of their day, so why childhood disability on his career, Jeffrey realized he had not have pop writers compose classical music?” Hence his never told Marcus about his deafness. collaborations with Sedaka and Tork as well as with Josh Because of what he calls his “reverse-Beethoven” musical Groban, Jimmy Webb (who wrote his “Nocturne for Piano career, Jeffrey has had the freedom to follow a rather unortho - and Orchestra” for Jeffrey), David Foster, Peter Schickele dox path in music. He was once told that “When you play (a.k.a. P.D.Q. Bach), and many others. the piano, it doesn’t sound like a piano.” Jeffrey replied that Jeffrey considers himself “a conduit between the past and his conception and utilization of the piano is as a language. the future.” His work with popular and younger musicians is “The piano is an extension of your voice. The fingers follow his way of keeping the classics going and making sure the voice and the keys are just an extension of the strings.” classical music never disappears. We applaud and encourage He thus teaches his students in master classes to sing out his efforts and look forward to welcoming this “unorthodox” the music and to play an imaginary piano to get a sense of pianist to our stage on May 7! the space the piece needs and the air around the notes. He —Kelly Brest van Kempen finds this technique changes the way his students use their EVANSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA presents our 2017–2 018 CO NCERT SERIES
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Mail form to: Evanston Symphony Orchestra, PO Box 778, Evanston, IL 60204 The ESO thanks you for your support. All contributions are tax deductible and will be listed in the concert program. EVANSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Lawrence Eckerling, Music Director 2017–2 018 CO NCERT SERIES Music from MANY LANDS OCTOBER 22, 2017 MARCH 18, 2018 BEETHOVEN 7 IMPERIAL SChumAnn Manfred Overture LONDON hAyDn SIBElIuS Symphony No. 104 Violin Concerto in D Minor in D Major “London” William hagen, violin vAughAn WIllIAmS BEEThOvEn English Folk Song Suite Symphony No. 7 in A Major grAIngEr Shepherd’s Hey FEBRUARY 4, 2018 WAlTOn Crown Imperial RODRIGO (Coronation March) GUITAR PurCEll Rondeau from CONCERTO Abdelazer Suite ChABrIEr España BrITTEn The Young Person’s Guide rODrIgO to the Orchestra Concierto de Aranjuez henry Fogel, narrator Jason Blair lewis, guitar gInASTErA Estancia Suite MAY 13, 2018 mOnCAyO BRAHMS Huapango PIANO PIAzzOllA Oblivion CONCERTO 1 Julie Fischer, violin COrIglIAnO Promenade Overture rImSky-kOrSAkOv Capriccio espagnol BrAhmS Piano Concerto No. 1 BErnSTEIn in D Minor “Mambo” Thomas Pandolfi, piano from West Side Story STrAvInSky Firebird Suite (1945)